In the sentence:
これ以上は 死タからその 前に殺さナいと,
I find it perplexing that 死タからそ is conjugated in the past tense. It being the reason (-から) for 殺さナいと, shouldn't it be in present tense? Or am I mixing it up and (-と) takes precedence? Which still wouldn't further my understanding of why this past tense? Or is he thinking he's already dead...
I'm sorry for the (I hope not too) bad phrasing of my question, I hope someone can help me understand how those two forms can be in the same sentence...
Thank you in advance